Failure & regret
What disappointment has stayed with you longest?
367 answers
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answered between 1995 and 2026
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one of
25 in The Q&A
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
This exact question recurs in The Guardian's institutional Q&A pool.
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On the record
Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted
from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.
The first video game I was in. I was 13 and video games were the world for me, and my character was awful. He had this terrible orange 'fro, his voice was a man's and he was slow and didn't turn well – nothing like me.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 March 2010
source ↗
Not getting picked for England.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 March 2010
source ↗
Never to have won the French Open.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 June 2012
source ↗
Not hearing the Ellington band live.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 July 2012
source ↗
Losing in the 2012 world championships final.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 December 2012
source ↗
Not taking more time out from work for holidays.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 July 2013
source ↗
Being let down by people I trust always stings.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 April 2016
source ↗
Plenty of matches got away, but there’s nothing I can do about it, so why worry?
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 July 2017
source ↗
I try not to have disappointments, because a lot of the bad things that happen in life teach you things.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 January 2018
source ↗
Mo Farah
British track and field athlete
Beijing 2008 – not making the Olympic final.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 April 2019
source ↗
That my mum and dad didn’t move to live by the sea, where we live, before they died.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 4 May 2019
source ↗
The way I left English cricket. I was scapegoated for the Ashes tour in 2013-14 and there was a bitter battle between the England Cricket Board and me for a few years.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 June 2019
source ↗
Andy Murray
British professional tennis player, 2005–2024
Professionally, when I lost my first Wimbledon final. I am also disappointed I didn’t learn Spanish when I lived there.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 July 2019
source ↗
Not playing in the World Cup.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 July 2019
source ↗
Never going back to the Tour de France and trying to win again.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 September 2019
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That Scottish tennis has failed to capitalise on the successes of Jamie and Andy.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 December 2020
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Any lost match is, of course, disappointing, but every loss is a lesson to be learned.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 January 2021
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Gabby Logan
Welsh TV/radio presenter and rhythmic gymnast
To go out of Strictly Come Dancing as early as I did.
Recorded
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 November 2022
source ↗
Not going to the World Cup in 1986 and not going to the World Cup in 1998.
Recorded
The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 November 2024
source ↗
1 answer from members
Not being able to start my own company
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